Time for us to roll on into the next one! I'm sure most of you may have noticed I took for the last chapter from the manga as well. If you didn't well…Read the manga! But there are parts that are slightly different from the game though and does major random spoiling if you haven't beaten the game. But enough talk fic time!
11/18
The Gekkoukan students boarded a tour bus and made stops to several tourist attractions where taking pictures and chatting were abound. As it neared evening students broke off into separate groups.
"Hey Yukari" Minato called out to her over the shrinking crowd. "It seems that we still have some free time left, wanna see if we can make up for yesterday?"
"I want to, it just…" Yukari looked over in Ms. Toriumi's direction to find that she had a weary eye trained on them.
"What she's still suspicious of us because of last night?" Maybe that Maya thing had over did it, he thought.
"Why does she have to be suspicious of only us?" Yukari seemed a little angered. Apparently she too was still a little upset from last night's incident. "We told her where we were going, we weren't going to be out that late and we didn't even lie about! She has no reason to be mad." She huffed and crossed her arms.
"So I guess it's no then" Minato sighed as he hung his head disappointed.
"Don't get me wrong I really want to go, but…"
"But?"
"But I'm really worried about Mitsuru-senpai. It seems she's still a little torn up about her father." Yukari glanced over in her friend direction. Mitsuru appeared to be out of it as she tended to drift off during conversations and even when she did talk she was very soft spoken. "I'm going to go talk to her okay." Yukari turned and walked over to her friend as the voices of other girls surrounded Minato asking him if he wanted to go anywhere later or he would accept a charm they bought.
All these girls and even Yukari all had one thing in common. They all had feeling for Minato but Yukari knew that it wasn't her place to tell them to go away and it hurt her heart that she couldn't do anything about it or even say what she needed to say to him. Her chance for today had been ruined.
11/19
Today was an exact repeat of the last. The students got onto the tour bus viewed a few sites and separated afterwards. Minato planned to ask Yukari out again but he couldn't seem to find Yukari. He had seen Mitsuru, who seemed happier, her conversation with Yukari must have gone well. But Mitsuru wasn't the one he wanted to see right now. He wanted to see Yukari. With a sigh of defeat he joined up with Junpei and the others.
Back at the hotel Minato wandered around in his yukata, he had planned on returning to his room when he ran into Akihiko. It had occurred to Minato that he hadn't seen his upperclassman since he was at the dorm the day they left. "Hey Minato you got a sec?" Akihiko said calling him over. "Junpei's down stairs, he told me to tell you he wanted to talk to you about something.
Minato found it strange that Junpei would send someone in his place but he waved it off and headed downstairs.
"Hey Minato," Junpei waved him over from one of the umbrella tables. "Wanna go check out the outdoor hot spring?" The boy had a smirk on his face.
That was it? He could have told him that in person! However he could have saw Akihiko, asked him earlier and asked Akihiko to ask him if he saw Minato. But then why couldn't Akihko just ask him if he wanted to go? Minato was about to turn him down but he thought better of it because they'd probably force him to go. He nodded his head in agreement.
"Yeah, dawg!" Junpei shouted in victory. "I'll go get Akihiko-senpai and Ryoji, while you go back to your room and get ready." Junpei quickly rushed off to gather the rest of the group. This did not bode well.
The air was filled with thick steam that rose from the heated water pond that was surrounded by stone. The steam rose and disappeared in the dark moonlit sky. They were in the outdoor hot spring. The boys sat with their backs to a large boulder that lay in the center of the spring.
"Did you know…" Ryoji began, "that this hot spring is open to guys at certain times and girls at others?"
"No way, really?" Something about his voice was just off settling. "Then theirs a chance it could change to girls only while we're still bathing." It was a setup! Junpei had to be up to something and this was it! Well if he wasn't going to get his geishas it was this. "But if that happens, there's nothing we can do about it. I mean, we're already here, right?" Well he was right about that, they got in when they were supposed to so it would be understandable if they explained the situation right? Right?!
"That's true." Ryoji stated "We couldn't be blamed if something like that were to happen. Don't you agree?" He looked at Minato for an answer.
"Don't ask me." Minato didn't want any part of this; he and Akihiko were just accessories to the crime.
"Well, it's really just a hypothetical question." Ryoji shrugged.
"…Hey, isn't it getting kinda hot in here?" Now that Junpei had mentioned it he and Ryoji seemed to be acting strange and sweating more than usual.
"So, Junpei at what time does this hot spring change from guys only to girls only?" Akihiko asked.
Minato looked at Akihiko shocked 'What?! You're supposed to be the sane one like me!' Minato thought.
"Uh, I'm not sure." He's lied. "I didn't bother to check…Right, Ryoji-kun?" He smirked at his accomplice.
"Right." The boy nodded. "But it could be at any moment couldn't it, Junpei-kun?"
"So that's why we came at a strange time?...You two are such idiots" Akihiko scolded them.
'Good old Akihiko,' Minato thought. 'He didn't know like me…wait but if something happens we're both screwed.'
Junpei laughed it off. "Calm down, man. We're just joking." Minato and Akihiko thought otherwise. "Although you're right about it being a weird time to be here. But don't worry. It's pretty late. I doubt any girls would-" He was cut off by the sudden sound of splashing water on the other side of the bath. "Shit! Someone's here! What're we going to do?" He sounded frantic. It was your plan now you're scared?!
"It's probably just a guy…"Akihiko said trying to reason with the situation.
"Don't worry. This is simply a misunderstanding. We'll just act like we didn't know." Ryoji said confidently. At least he still had his wits.
"Wow!" Came the voice of an excited girl. "This hot spring is huge!"
'That voice! It's Yukari!' Minato's face darkened at the thought. He wanted to see her but not like this, not after the last time this happened at the hotel on Shirakawa Blvd.
"Oh, you're right…" This time it was the voice of a soft spoken female. "It's the size of a swimming pool." It was Fuuka. The situation just went from bad to worse.
"So, this is an outdoor hot spring." The third voice sounded strange, almost mechanical and robotic. "Unfortunately, it's therapeutic healing benefits will not help me." It was obvious it was Aigis! Now it was impossible for the situation to get worse they'd be killed!
"Dammit, it's them…" Junpei sounded afraid. "What are they doing here this late?"
'I don't know maybe taking a BATH?!' Minato thought. He couldn't believe this. There was no way they'd understand the situation.
"Yes Yukari-san AND Fuuka-san!" Ryoji sounded happy as he stood up in the water. I take it back he's a moron. "This is my lucky ni-" he was about to say night when Junpei pulled him back down and dunked the boy's head underwater. Both Akihiko and Minato wanted a piece of the action but the thought better of it.
"Shut up you idiot! They'll here you." Junpei said before letting him go.
"Who's that?" Yukari called out. She had heard Junpei's murder attempt. "Is someone there?" No one responded.
"What's the matter Yukari did you hear something?" This was a forth voice. A more sophisticated voice. A voice that could only belong to someone of high class. That voice was the voice of the one and only Mitsuru Kirijo. They were officially screwed.
"M-Mitsuru's here too?" Akihiko sounded uncharacteristically weak and afraid. "Oh, man. There's no way she'll consider this a 'misunderstanding'!"
"Yeah, but it's not like we could get expelled for this, right?" Junpei asked to reason with him. "I mean, it was men only when we got here. So, it's actually kinda funny, if you think about it."
"This is Mitsuru we're talking about." He explained. It couldn't be that bad, could it? "If she finds us she'll…" the boy swallowed hard.
"What? She'll what?" Junpei asked sounding afraid to know at the same time.
"She'll execute us" It face was covered in a dark expression. Apparently he had experience on the subject.
"E-execute us?" Ryoji sounded afraid. It seems he was finally realizing the error of his ways.
"Yeah, I think I heard something. Fuuka could you check over their? I-it could be a ghost" she sounded afraid. She honestly believed in ghost.
"Um…but…I, uh…okay." Fuuka sounded afraid she seemed to had her own beliefs about ghost. "I'm scared to look by myself…Yukari-chan, will you look with me?"
Yukari let out a deep sigh. "Okay fine…Let's start on the right."
"Move!" Minato told the other three signaling them to follow. He moved them onto opposite side of the spring where they managed to avoid detection, for now.
"I don't see anyone." Fuuka explained. Good they hadn't been seen.
"Hmm, that's strange…I thought I heard someone" Yukari on the other hand didn't seem ready to give up.
"Well let's try the other side." Fuuka said with a sigh of defeat.
"Let's go!" Minato waved his hand signaling them to move to the other side. They moved a little to fast as he could see the girls still moving. He put a hand out signaling them to stop.
"What is it? Why'd we stop?" Ryoji said poking his head ahead. He spotted the shrinking backsides of the two. "What a nice view!" The boy smirked before having a hand clasped over his mouth before he was dragged back.
Yukari turned back to look but saw nothing. "You idiot we almost got caught." Minato scolded him. He didn't know whether he was more upset over being caught or Ryoji getting a view of Yukari, up until now, only he had.
"What wrong Yukari?" Fuuka asked sounding afraid.
"It's nothing. Did you find anything?"
"No…"
"Hmm…Maybe we're just being paranoid." Yes that's it the boys thought. Just ignore us. "Agis do you detect anyone?" The three members of S.E.E.S stiffened. They had completely forgot about Aigis.
"Because of the moisture here, my sensors are not functioning properly."
The boys let out a sigh of relief. "Sensors what's she talking about?" Ryoji asked confused before being shushed.
"I see…" They were lucky, Yukari hadn't heard them. "Then let's split up." Damn and they had almost made it.
Minato looked around for a place where they could hide. He spotted an indent in the bolder they sat by earlier. "Hurry" he waved his hand again signaling them to come on. They had almost made it when they heard a large splash. They all turned to see that Ryoji has tripped!
When Ryoji resurfaced he saw the greatest and worst site in his life. Yukari was standing above him in only a towel with a look of rage on her face. "Hello there Ryoji." Her voice sounded dark and filled with rage.
"Oh shit dude!" Junpei said as he backed away but stopped when he collided with something. He looked up to see Fuuka who let out a shriek. Minato let out a sigh all his leadership had been for not.
The guys sat as captives in front of the girls. They were still in the spring but no boy dared to lift their head to look at the girls. Junpei was the first to try to speak, "uh, we, uh, um…" Butt only gibberish game out.
"W-wait!" Akihiko pleaded. "This is just a misunderstanding!"
"Silence!" Mitsuru's voice boomed filled with dogma. "I'm going to execute you all!"
"It was nice knowing you" Aigis gave what may have been her final goodbyes.
Minato raised his head to look up at Yukari. The look on her face was filled with so many emotions. Anger, sadness, rage and worst of all betrayal. He opened his mouth to say something but no words would form, all he could do was hang his head in shame.
Yukari's face softened when she saw this. Maybe he understood what he had done and felt bad about it. About hurting her. Plus there was no way he nor Akihiko were the leaders of this. But there was no way she was going to try to stop Mitsuru. 'Sorry Minato.'
Later that night Minato was stirred awake by dreams of his execution. His body was covered in sweat. He tried to lay back down and drift off to sleep when he felt something brush against him. He turned to see Junpei!
"Chidori" he groaned. So he's just dreaming of his girlfriend…lucky him. But was weird was that he continued to move forward. "Come on Chidori, don't be so shy." Just what the hell was he dreaming about?!
Junpei began to reach out to Minato. "Forgive me for this Junpei." Minato grabbed his pillow and smacked his friend in the face knocking him to the ground. When the threat of his advances, Minato let out a sigh. He had to get out of here before Junpei tried to come after him again. He looked towards the clock. It was almost 'that' time. He rummaged through his bag and pulled out his evoker before he headed for the door.
Just as he slid the door open he received a blow to the head. "Ah! I'm sorry!"
He looked in the direction of where the blow came from only to see Yukari. "Yukari…" he eyes turned downward. "Wasn't I punished by Mitsuru enough already?"
"That what I want to talk to you about." She sounded sympathetic towards him. "Do you have a minute."
Minato was about to turn her down when a groan came from the room. "Chidori" groaned a voice.
"What was that?" Yukari peered inside the room.
"It's nothing!" Minato said swiftly closing the door. "What did you want?"
"Can we go down stairs? I don't want to wake anyone up." Truth was she didn't want anyone to over hear.
Minato groaned "People need to stop calling me downstairs for things." But none the less he followed her.
The two of them stood in the lobby alone watching the pond in the courtyard as moonlight danced on its surface. "Minato I want to ask you…why did you do that?" She had a stern look on her face. With a heavy sigh he explained what exactly had happened.
Yukari held her sides as she laughed. "Come one it's not funny."
"Yes it is!" she said as she whipped away a stray tear. "I mean you were basically just a casualty of war."
"That means I was executed for nothing."
"Oh yeah, how was it?" Yukari asked as she had not been there for when it happened.
"It was cold. Very, very cold." He shivered at the memory.
"Then…" She grabbed her hand. "Do you want me to help you warm up?" Her cheeks glowed red as she looked up at him.
"Yukari what do you-" Minato stopped mid sentence as he heard shuffling.
"Who down their?!" It was the voice of Ms. Toriumi.
"Shoot! If she didn't believe us before she won't believe us now!" Yukari sounded of getting into even more trouble.
Minato grabbed onto Yukari and pulled her close, he placed her head against his chest as he hid behind a support beam. "Just be quiet and wait." She didn't respond but nodded into his chest.
To Yukari time seemed to pass on forever but in fact is was a few seconds. She felt a chill run down her spine. She knew what it was from, she felt this chill every night if she hadn't drifted off to sleep. It was time for the dark hour.
Minato peered around the pillar to see a coffin frozen at the bottom of the stairs. "Good thing Ms. Toriumi isn't a persona user, huh?" He smiled down at Yukari to see her gazing back at him. "Yukari you can let go now?"
Yukari's eyes were wide and hopeful, they were reflecting her lover for him. She tightened her grip on his yukata as she pulled him downward. She pushed herself off of him as soon as she had done. "I'm sorry" she turned away from him and faced the courtyard. "It's just that we've shared so many moments like this and you've always been there for me and…and…I just got caught up in the moment!" Yukari couldn't face him, she just couldn't not after what she did.
"Yukari its okay…" Minato said as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
She struggled in his grasp. "Come one, let me go." Yukari turned around in his arms and tried to push him away.
As she did Minato grabbed her hands and pushed them to the side as he pushed her back against the glass window to the courtyard before he pressed his lips to hers. The kiss dragged on and on as he held her against the window the glow of the dark hour's moon reflecting off the lake shined upon then illuminating their love.
Minato pulled away from her Yukari seemed to lean forward as if she wasn't ready for it to be over. She stared up at him expressionless as if she couldn't believe what just happened. Minato had kissed her. As a wave a realization washed over her so did her emotions. Her body began to shake, her chest began to heave out and in with her shaky breaths as tears began to stream down her face. These tears were not ones brought about by sadness they were brought about by joy.
Once again Minato pulled Yukari into his arms an allowed her to burry her head in his chest as she firmly clung to him. "I love you too Yukari" he whispered in her ear but he only received sobs in return but to him it sounded as if she said the same words to him.
11/20
"I'll never forget Kyoto…" Junpei said as he hung is head in shame. "How could I after last night." All the boys of S.E.E.S plus Ryoji hung their heads in shame, except for Minato who seemed rather upbeat. They were all in the lobby preparing to leave.
"That was truly an 'execution'." Ryoji said defeated.
"Just try to forget about it" Akihiko told them. It was for their best interest.
As Yukari and Fuuka walked by they stopped and glared at the boys before turning up their noses and walk away. Yukari gave a small wink to Minato who gave her a small smile in return.
"Looks like their still pissed…" Junpei said with a pathetic sigh. Mitsuru walked by as well but didn't even give her a glance. They all sighed.
"Hold on I'll be back guys" Minato said standing up.
"Dude, didn't I warn you about the cielo mist?" Junpei said trying to lighten the mood. He failed.
"It's not that, I just remembered something I have to do." He said before he walked off toward the hotels small store. "Come on what was it again." Minato said as he looked over the stores goods.
"You know buying cheap gifts like this will make you look bad" A voice said followed by a giggle.
Minato didn't even make an attempt to turn around, he knew it was Yukari. "It's not for you, it's for Ken."
Yukari huffed up her cheeks as she placed her hands on her hips. "So you're no going to get me a gift, you jerk."
"But Yukari I can give you a gift like last night at anytime." He said with a sly smirk the made her blush. "Plus it's only candy, I just can't remember what he wanted though."
"Shoot, he did want us to get him something didn't he." Like him she had just now remembered Ken's psychological warfare. "Guess we'll just have to grab one of everything." She said with a sigh as they approached a sigh.
"Hey you two hurry up or we'll leave without you." Ms. Toriumi shouted as the students began to file out of the hotel.
Once again they were back on the train it was just like how the whole trip began except that Junpei and company were already down to their boxers.
"Beat at our own game again."
"They're cheaters."
"We suck dude." Junpei looked over in the direction of those who were responsible for their predicament. Across from him sat a sleeping Minato with Yukari resting on his shoulder. They remained fully clothed throughout the game. How did they do it? Simple they had been in perfect sync because they were now that which was Yukari's arcane, lovers. A smile tugged at Yukari's lips as dreams of her and Minato danced in her head.
END…maybe
Okay the maybe thing isn't something I'm not sure about because at first I thought I might extend it but I also thought against it. Meh, we'll find out eventually.